Land Stewardship Project

Land Stewardship Project
  • About Us
    • Our Mission
    • Long Range Plan
    • Staff Directory
    • Board of Directors
      • LSP Board Committees
    • LSP Steering Committees & Working Groups
    • Contact Us
    • Past LSP Projects
    • Employment & Volunteer Opportunities
    • LSP Publications
    • Financial Statements
  • The Latest
    • Community Care
    • Songs for the Soil
    • CSA Farm Directory
    • Upcoming Events
    • News
      • News Releases
      • Media Contacts
      • LSP in the News
    • Blog
    • Podcast
    • Land Stewardship Letter
    • LIVE-WIRE Sign-up
    • Myth Busters
    • Fact Sheets
    • Farm Crisis Resources
  • For Farmers & Landowners
    • Farmland Clearinghouse
    • New Farmers
      • Farm Beginnings Class
      • Journeyperson Course
      • Farm Dreams
      • Accessing Farmland
      • Farmland Clearinghouse
      • Beginning/Retiring Farmer Tax Credit
      • Beginning Farmer Profiles
      • Fresh Voices Podcast Series
    • Retiring Farmers & Landowners
      • Farmland Clearinghouse
      • Farm Transition Planning Course
      • Conservation Leases
      • Beginning/Retiring Farmer Tax Credit
      • Land Transition Tools
      • Transition Stories
    • Soil Health
      • Cover Crops
      • Grazing
      • No-till
      • Microbiology
      • Kernza
      • Soil Builders’ Network
      • Soil Builders’ E-Letters
      • Soil Health Steering Committee Members
      • Ear Dirt Soil Health Podcast Series
    • Cropping Systems Calculator
    • Conservation Leases
  • Creating Change
    • Community-Based Food Systems
      • Ear Bites Community-Based Food Podcast Series
    • Policy Campaigns
      • Soil Health & Climate Change
      • Healthcare
      • Factory Farms
        • Anti-Competitiveness & Price Gouging
        • LSP Powerline Story Center
      • Federal Policy
        • A Farm Bill For Us
      • State Policy
        • MN Farm, Food & Climate Funding
      • Developing Leadership
    • Justice & Stewardship
    • Organizational Stewardship
  • Get Involved
    • Your Membership Matters
    • Take Action!
    • Upcoming Events
    • Land Stewardship Action Fund
    • Connect with LSP
      • Stay Connected
      • Join, Donate, or Renew Today!
      • Shop
      • Employment & Volunteer Opportunities
      • Legacy Giving
    • Network with LSP Members
      • Farmland Clearinghouse
      • Soil Health
    • Farmland Clearinghouse
  • Join, Donate, or Renew Today!
  • Stay Connected
  • Contact Us
  • Shop
Search
More...

A New Farm Bill

Share

  • Facebook
  • Pinterest
  • email

 

Every five years, Congress drafts a new federal Farm Bill, which determines how tens of billions of dollars are spent on what’s grown on the landscape and who grows it, as well as the environmental impact of production systems, the safety of our food, and the economic health of rural communities. On Aug. 16, 2022, the Land Stewardship Project launched its platform for the new Farm Bill, which is currently being drafted by Congress.* This document was developed by farmer-leaders who belong to LSP’s Farm Bill Organizing Committee, and is based on a survey LSP, working with the National Young Farmers Coalition, Midwest Farmers of Color Collective, and others, undertook during the winter and spring of 2022. The survey of farmers and farm food system workers in Minnesota, Iowa, and Wisconsin covered several topics, including: consolidation in agriculture, conservation and the effect of climate change, crop insurance reform, access to markets and regional food systems, and the barriers beginning and BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, people of color) farmers face.

The survey, along with eight listening sessions LSP held with farmers and others across the region, revealed that current agricultural policy imposes numerous barriers to farmers while propping up large-scale corporate operations. LSP has used these results to develop a Farm Bill platform that addresses market consolidation, stops supporting the growth of concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs), supports beginning and BIPOC farmers, bolsters regenerative farming practices that build soil, and helps make regional food systems economic engines in local communities.

Download a pdf Copy of the Farm Bill Platform Here

 

* The current Farm Bill was due to expire in fall 2023. However, Congress has extended the current law until September 30, 2024.

  • Sign Up for Farm Bill Updates & Action Alerts

LSP's Farm Bill Values

  • Use public resources for public good.
  • Invest in people to build local communities vital for economic resilience.
  • Uphold the interdependence of urban and rural communities.
  • Acknowledge and address the history and legacy of inequities in the food system.
  • Value land stewardship and regional food systems.
  • Reward crop diversity and soil health as essential for our future.
  • Recognize the contributions of and institute protections for food system workers, including farm and meat processing workers.
  • Acknowledge that farmers are on the front lines of the climate crisis, and this challenge demands bold solutions.

LSP's Farm Bill Platform Executive Summary

LSP’s Farm Bill Platform calls for change in five specific areas:

1) Consolidation:

  • Restore competition to the marketplace and level the playing field for small farmers and ranchers.
  • Break up monopolies and enforce antitrust laws.
  • Reduce funding supporting farms that are not taking care of their soil and communities.

2)  Conservation & Climate:

  • Create funding streams for new and innovative sustainable practices, and eliminate funding for practices that harm rural communities and the environment.
  • Allocate fewer or no subsidies to the largest/industrial cropping operations, and stop providing public funds to large Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs) seeking to install manure management and methane digesters.
  • Direct programs like the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) and Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) toward operations that are implementing regenerative practices like managed rotational grazing, agroforestry, and perennial crops, and ensure funding is accessible to farmers with small-scale conservation projects.
  • Provide additional targeted outreach and education for conservation programs such as CSP and EQIP.
  • Make CSP an easier program to use and apply for, especially for organic producers, and limit funding that goes toward factory farm-style production.

3)  Crop Insurance Reform:

  • Put payment caps on crop insurance subsidies that the largest, industrial farms receive.
  • Incentivize climate-resilient practices through crop insurance programs.
  • Target crop insurance programs to support beginning farmers.
  • Reduce crop insurance premium costs for farmers implementing soil health and conservation practices.

4)  Young, Beginning, and BIPOC Farmers:

  • Reduce the turnaround time for USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) loan approval to meet the market pace for land sales and create a pre-approval mechanism for FSA Direct Farm Ownership Loans.
  • Address concerns around realities that often the FSA loan process cannot compete with standard real estate transactions.
  • Support programs that encourage and incentivize transitions to young/beginning/BIPOC farmers. This includes programs that support farmland preservation and easements to reduce development of productive agricultural land and facilitate land access.
  • Create pathways to support land transition, apprenticeships and mentorships, as well as legacy planning work.
  • Provide additional and culturally-appropriate technical assistance services (including in multiple languages) so that beginning farmers can access USDA programs.
  • Provide direct financial support for land ownership by creating grant initiatives such as direct assistance provided in the Minnesota Down Payment Assistance Program.
  • Support incubator and cooperative farms through additional funding (including for personnel and operations) to increase access to tools, infrastructure, equipment, and training for young/beginning/BIPOC farmers.

5)  Regional Food Systems:

  • Facilitate market access through outreach, additional funding, and technical assistance programs.
  • Allow for the development of infrastructure that connects producers to consumers and builds strong and resilient regional food systems.
  • Increase funding and support for farmers’ markets, including programs that enable customers to purchase produce from local farmers.
  • Protect critical investments in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and the Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) at a time of rising food prices and food insecurity.

Aug. 16, 2022: LSP Farm Bill Released

On Aug. 16, 2022, the Land Stewardship Project launched our Farm Bill Platform at Legvold Farms in Northfield, Minn. Check out the press release here.

A crowd gathered at Legvold Farms on Aug. 16, 2022, to discuss LSP’s 2023 Farm Bill Platform.

Media Coverage

•  Fillmore County Journal: Write a farm bill for farmers, not corporate interests (5/15/23)

• Public News Service: MN Family Farms Make Their Case for Farm Bill Inclusion (5/5/23)

• Mankato Free Press: Farm Bill Should Include Provisions to Address Climate Change (4/28/23)

• The McLeod County Chronicle: 2023 Farm Bill Priorities (4/26/23)

• Star Tribune: Minnesota farmer needs a truck with a cooler; Congress’ farm bill could help (4/26/23)

• Ag Week:  Small-scale producers share with Rep. Angie Craig how crop insurance doesn’t work for them (4/19/23)

• Lancaster Farming: Farmers March on Washington to Demand Climate Legislation (3/8/23)

• Brownfield Radio Network: Farmers for Climate Action Rallying in D.C. (3/7/23)

• Minnesota Reformer: We Need a Transformative Farm Bill (9/26/22)

• Food Freedom Radio: LSP farmer-member Darrel Mosel and LSP organizer Sarah Goldman discuss the need for a 2023 Farm Bill that supports farmers, communities, and the land. (9/17/22)

• Northfield News: Regional Farmers Hear Farm Bill Priorities (8/23/22)

Farm Bill Fact Sheets

• What is the Federal Farm Bill?

• Increasing Land Access, Security, and Opportunities Act

• Whole Farm Revenue Protection (WFRP) Improvement Act

 

Learn More

  • Tell Your Senator to Support Land Access Legislation

    April 1, 2024

    Our farm and food system is more resilient and just with more farmers stewarding the land, growing food for their communities, but so many people…

    Action Alerts
    emerging farmers, Farm Bill, farmland access, federal ag policy, LASO Act, Sen. Tina Smith
    Tell Your Senator to Support Land Access Legislation
  • Advocating for a Farm Bill for People & the Land in D.C.

    April 1, 2024

    The Federal Farm Bill is the single most important piece of legislation shaping our farm and food system. It spends over $1.5 trillion on nutrition…

    Blog
    Campaign for Family Farms & the Environment fly-in, consolidation, emerging farmers, Farm Bill, federal ag policy, land access, LASO Act, National Young Farmers Coalition
    Advocating for a Farm Bill for People & the Land in D.C.
  • Ear to the Ground 305: Farm Bill as a Public Good

    LSP farmer-members talk about how the 2023 Farm Bill could benefit the land, people, and rural communities (2nd of 2 parts).
    More Information
    • Ear to the…

    Ear to the Ground 305: Farm Bill as a Public Good

Contact

Sean Carrol, LSP policy & organizing director e-mail, 612-400-6359

Upcoming Events

×

August 2025

Sunday August 24

1:00 pm – 3:00 pm
Livestock Consolidation Town Hall With AG Ellison in Central MN
Sunday August 24
1:00 pm – 3:00 pm
Livestock Consolidation Town Hall With AG Ellison in Central MN
Central Minnesota

LSP will be hosting a town hall meeting Sunday, Aug. 24, in Paynesville, Minn., on consolidation in livestock agriculture. Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison will be on-hand to hear from producers about their experiences with monopoly power. This meeting is for small to mid-sized livestock producers and others who want to push back against consolidation in agriculture.

This town hall will be held at Lake Koronis Regional Park, 51612 Co. Hwy. 20, Paynesville, MN (large picnic shelter; look for the LSP signs).

To reserve a spot, click here. For more information, contact LSP organizer Matthew Sheets via e-mail or at 612-767-9709.

Tuesday August 26

9:30 am – 3:00 pm
UW Organic Agriculture Research Field Day
Tuesday August 26
9:30 am – 3:00 pm
UW Organic Agriculture Research Field Day
Arlington, WI 53911, USA


This University of Wisconsin Organic Grain Resource and Information Network field day will feature tours and talks about the latest in organic systems research. Attendees will learn about reduced-tillage corn and soybeans, no-till dry beans, advances in food-grade grains, emerging crops, biocontrol agents to manage white mold in soybeans, and on-farm soil health research. 

For more information and to register, click here. 

Wednesday August 27

10:00 am – 4:30 pm
Field Day: Farmer-Distiller Grain Connection
Wednesday August 27
10:00 am – 4:30 pm
Field Day: Farmer-Distiller Grain Connection
Paxton, IL 60957, USA

Join OGRAIN, Artisan Grain Collaborative, The Land Connection, and IDEA Farm Network for this unique field day tailored for farmers and distillers alike to learn in the field and at the distillery. Dallas and Will Glazik will lead attendees through Cow Creek Organic Farm’s organic fields and discuss proper food-grade grain handling. The day will end with a distillery tour, grain quality talk, farmer-distiller social event, and optional tasting at Silver Tree Spirits.

For details and to register, click here. 

September 2025

Monday September 1

All Day
Final Deadline for LSP's Farm Beginnings Course
Monday September 1
Final Deadline for LSP's Farm Beginnings Course

Beginning and prospective farmers are invited to apply to the Land Stewardship Project’s Farm Beginnings course, a year-long training program that focuses on the goal setting, marketing, and financial skills needed to establish a successful farm business. The Farm Beginnings course creates a space for folks to name their vision, acquire the tools and skills needed to make it happen, and become part of a community of support to help them succeed.  

The course will run from November 2025 through March 2026, with some additional educational opportunities to take place later in 2026. 

The deadline for applications is Sept. 1. Early bird applications submitted by Aug. 1 will receive a $100 discount if you are accepted into the class. Partial scholarships are available.

More details are at http://www.farmbeginnings.org or Annelie Livingston-Anderson at annelie@landstewardshipproject.org.

You can apply to the course here.

Friday September 5

9:00 am – 3:00 pm
Soil Health Field Day: Austin
Friday September 5
9:00 am – 3:00 pm
Soil Health Field Day: Austin
50203 205th St, Austin, MN 55912, USA

Details are here.

View Full Calendar

Recent Posts

  • Tell the MPCA by Sept. 10 to Focus on Clean Water, New Crops & Living Cover August 22, 2025
  • Land Line: Farm Finance Crisis, Mental Health, Inflated Inputs, Crop-Livestock Synergy, Bread Bloat, Pesticides in Water, Soil Health & MAHA August 9, 2025
  • Farmers Gather in Madison to Discuss ‘Bringing Small Grains Back to Minnesota’ August 6, 2025
  • Land Line: USDA Changes, Climate-Smart Ag, Dead Zone, Nitrate Pollution, Feedlot Regs, Soil Bacteria, the Power of Diverse Farming July 28, 2025
  • Social Sustainability: Fostering Farmer-Focused Communities  July 24, 2025

Montevideo

111 North First Street
Montevideo, MN 56265

(320) 269-2105

Lewiston

180 E. Main Street
Lewiston, MN 55952

(507) 523-3366

Minneapolis

821 E. 35th Street #200
Minneapolis, MN 55407

(612) 722-6377

  • Privacy Policy

Copyright © 2025 Land Stewardship Project. All rights reserved.

https://landstewardshipproject.org/federal-policy/farmbill2023